Picture vs. Figure: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
A picture is a visual representation created through painting, drawing, or photography, while a figure can refer to a numerical value, a person's shape, or a diagram in a text.
Key Differences
A picture is typically understood as an image or a visual representation of something, created through various means like painting, drawing, or photography. A figure, however, has multiple meanings; it can refer to a numerical value, a representation of data in a graph or chart, or even a person's bodily shape.
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Nov 28, 2023
In art and photography, a picture captures and conveys scenes, people, or emotions through visual mediums. Figures in this context, especially in artistic or literary works, can represent symbolic or literal characters or shapes within these pictures.
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In literature and academic writing, a picture often refers to an illustrative or decorative image in a book, while a figure is more likely to be a diagram, graph, or chart that provides data or conceptual information.
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The term picture is also used colloquially to refer to films or movies, capturing moving images that tell a story. Conversely, the figure is frequently used in mathematics and statistics to denote a numerical value or in geometry to describe a shape or form.
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When discussing photography or visual media, a picture is the final product, an image captured by a camera. A figure in this context could be the subject of the picture, especially if it is focusing on a person or a distinct shape.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
A visual representation created through artistic means.
A numerical value, shape, or diagram.
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Usage in Art
An image or scene portrayed.
A shape, character, or symbol within an artwork.
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Context in Literature
An illustrative image in a book.
A diagram or chart providing information.
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Application in Photography
The image captured by a camera.
The subject, especially if focusing on a shape or person.
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Picture and Figure Definitions
Picture
A picture is a visual representation created through painting, drawing, or photography.
The gallery displayed pictures of historical figures.
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Figure
Figure also refers to a person's bodily shape or outline.
The tailor took measurements to fit the dress to her figure.
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Picture
Picture can also refer to an image or scene in a film or movie.
The picture won an award for its stunning cinematography.
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Figure
As a verb, figure can mean to calculate or conclude something.
I figure we'll need about ten more chairs for the event.
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Picture
As a verb, picture means to form a mental image of something.
Picture a place where you feel completely at peace.
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Figure
A written or printed symbol representing something other than a letter, especially a number.
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Picture
A visual representation or image painted, drawn, photographed, or otherwise rendered on a flat surface.
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Picture
A visible image, especially one on a flat surface or screen
The picture reflected in the lake.
Focused the picture on the movie screen.
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Picture
A vivid or realistic verbal description
A Shakespearean picture of guilt.
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Figure
Figures One of the digits specified as making up a larger number
A salary in the six figures.
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Figure
(Mathematics) A geometric form consisting of any combination of points, lines, or planes
A triangle is a plane figure.
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Picture
A person or object bearing a marked resemblance to another
She's the picture of her mother.
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Figure
The outline, form, or silhouette of a thing
Saw the figure of a cat in the window.
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Picture
A person, object, or scene that typifies or embodies an emotion, state of mind, or mood
Your face was the very picture of horror.
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Figure
The shape or form of a human body
A fashion model with an attractive figure.
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Picture
The chief circumstances of an event or time; the situation
How does the new boyfriend figure in the picture?.
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Figure
An indistinct object or shape
The figures in the mist turned out to be lampposts.
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Picture
To make a visible representation of
In this photo, the mayor is pictured with several aides.
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Picture
To form a mental image of; visualize
I pictured my grandfather as a young man coming to America.
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Figure
A pictorial or sculptural representation, especially of the human body.
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Picture
To describe vividly in words; make a verbal picture of
Pictured their heroism in glowing language.
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Picture
A representation of anything (as a person, a landscape, a building) upon canvas, paper, or other surface, by drawing, painting, printing, photography, etc.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
(Music) A brief melodic or harmonic unit often constituting the basis of a larger phrase or structure.
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Figure
(Logic) Any one of the forms that a syllogism can take, given one of the four possible arrangements of the middle term.
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Picture
A paragon, a perfect example or specimen (of a category).
She's the very picture of health.
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Figure
(Mathematics) To calculate with numbers
Figured the sum to be nearly a million.
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Picture
An attractive sight.
The garden is a real picture at this time of year.
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Figure
To write a sequence of conventionalized numbers below or above (the bassline) to indicate harmony.
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Picture
Situation.
The employment picture for the older middle class is not so good.
You can't just look at the election, you've got to look at the big picture.
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Picture
(MLE) A sample of an illegal drug.
If you want me to buy your weed I’ll need a picture.
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Figure
To conclude, believe, or predict
I never figured that this would happen.
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Figure
To be or seem important or prominent
A key fact that figures in our understanding of what happened.
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Figure
To be pertinent or involved
His advice barely figured in my decision.
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Picture
The art of painting; representation by painting.
Any well-expressed image . . . either in picture or sculpture.
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Figure
(Informal) To seem reasonable or expected
“I found my keys in the sofa.” “Well, that figures, given that you were sitting there last night.”.
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Picture
A representation of anything (as a person, a landscape, a building) upon canvas, paper, or other surface, produced by means of painting, drawing, engraving, photography, etc.; a representation in colors. By extension, a figure; a model.
Pictures and shapes are but secondary objects.
The young king's picture . . . in virgin wax.
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Picture
An image or resemblance; a representation, either to the eye or to the mind; that which, by its likeness, brings vividly to mind some other thing; as, a child is the picture of his father; the man is the picture of grief.
My eyes make pictures when they are shut.
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Figure
The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body.
A figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble
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Picture
To draw or paint a resemblance of; to delineate; to represent; to form or present an ideal likeness of; to bring before the mind.
I have not seen him so pictured.
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Picture
A visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface;
They showed us the pictures of their wedding
A movie is a series of images projected so rapidly that the eye integrates them
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person.
He cut a sorry figure standing there in the rain.
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Picture
Graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface;
A small painting by Picasso
He bought the painting as an investment
His pictures hang in the Louvre
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Figure
(obsolete) Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendour; show.
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Picture
A clear and telling mental image;
He described his mental picture of his assailant
He had no clear picture of himself or his world
The events left a permanent impression in his mind
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Figure
A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body.
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Picture
A situation treated as an observable object;
The political picture is favorable
The religious scene in England has changed in the last century
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Picture
Illustrations used to decorate or explain a text;
The dictionary had many pictures
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Picture
A form of entertainment that enacts a story by a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement;
They went to a movie every Saturday night
The film was shot on location
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Picture
The visible part of a television transmission;
They could still receive the sound but the picture was gone
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Figure
A visible pattern as in wood or cloth.
The muslin was of a pretty figure.''
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Picture
A graphic or vivid verbal description;
Too often the narrative was interrupted by long word pictures
The author gives a depressing picture of life in Poland
The pamphlet contained brief characterizations of famous Vermonters
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Picture
A typical example of some state or quality;
The very picture of a modern general
She was the picture of despair
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Picture
Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy
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Figure
(logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
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Picture
Show in, or as in, a picture;
This scene depicts country life
The face of the child is rendered with much tenderness in this painting
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Figure
(astrology) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
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Picture
In common parlance, a picture often means a photograph.
She took a picture of the sunset with her phone.
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Figure
(music) Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
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Picture
Picture can be used to describe a mental image or concept.
He painted a vivid picture of the event in his narrative.
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Figure
(music) A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
To come to understand.
I can’t figure if he’s telling the truth or lying.
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Figure
To be reasonable.
It figures that somebody like him would be upset about the situation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
(obsolete) To represent by a figure, as to form or mould; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
(music) To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords.
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Figure
The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance.
Flowers have all exquisite figures.
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Figure
The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modeling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body; as, a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble.
A coin that bears the figure of an angel.
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Figure
A pattern in cloth, paper, or other manufactured article; a design wrought out in a fabric; as, the muslin was of a pretty figure.
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Figure
A diagram or drawing, made to represent a magnitude or the relation of two or more magnitudes; a surface or space inclosed on all sides; - called superficial when inclosed by lines, and solid when inclosed by surfaces; any arrangement made up of points, lines, angles, surfaces, etc.
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Figure
The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person; as, a sorry figure.
I made some figure there.
Gentlemen of the best figure in the county.
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Figure
Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show.
That he may live in figure and indulgence.
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Figure
A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc.
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Figure
Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are estimated or sold at a low figure.
With nineteen thousand a year at the very lowest figure.
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Figure
A person, thing, or action, conceived of as analogous to another person, thing, or action, of which it thus becomes a type or representative.
Who is the figure of Him that was to come.
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Figure
A mode of expressing abstract or immaterial ideas by words which suggest pictures or images from the physical world; pictorial language; a trope; hence, any deviation from the plainest form of statement. Also called a figure of speech.
To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing.
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Figure
The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
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Figure
Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical phrase or motive; a florid embellishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
If love, alas! be pain I bear,
No thought can figure, and no tongue declare.Prior.
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Figure
To embellish with design; to adorn with figures.
The vaulty top of heavenFigured quite o'er with burning meteors.
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Figure
To indicate by numerals; also, to compute.
As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen.
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Figure
To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize.
Whose white vestments figure innocence.
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Figure
To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court.
Sociable, hospitable, eloquent, admired, figuring away brilliantly.
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Oct 19, 2023
Figure
To calculate; to contrive; to scheme; as, he is figuring to secure the nomination.
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Figure
A diagram or picture illustrating textual material;
The area covered can be seen from Figure 2
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Figure
Alternative names for the body of a human being;
Leonardo studied the human body
He has a strong physique
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
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Figure
One of the elements that collectively form a system of numbers;
0 and 1 are digits
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Figure
A model of a bodily form (especially of a person);
He made a figure of Santa Claus
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Figure
A well-known or notable person;
They studied all the great names in the history of France
She is an important figure in modern music
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Figure
A combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shape
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Figure
An amount of money expressed numerically;
A figure of $17 was suggested
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Figure
The impression produced by a person;
He cut a fine figure
A heroic figure
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Figure
The property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals;
He had a number of chores to do
The number of parameters is small
The figure was about a thousand
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Figure
A unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground
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Figure
A predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating;
She made the best score on compulsory figures
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Figure
Be or play a part of or in;
Elections figure prominently in every government program
How do the elections figure in the current pattern of internal politics?
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Figure
Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy
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Figure
A figure can refer to a numerical value or statistic.
The report included several figures on population growth.
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Nov 28, 2023
Figure
In art, figure often denotes a human or animal form.
The sculpture's figure was remarkably lifelike.
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Figure
Figure can mean a diagram or illustration, especially in technical or academic texts.
Refer to figure 3 for a breakdown of the process.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can a picture be digital?
Yes, pictures include both traditional and digital images.
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Is a figure always numerical?
No, figure can also mean a diagram, a person's shape, or an important person.
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What is the role of figures in academic texts?
Figures in academic texts provide visual representations of data or concepts.
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What types of pictures are there?
Pictures can be photographs, paintings, drawings, or digital images.
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Are figures important in math?
Yes, figures such as graphs and charts are important in math for visualizing data.
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What does figure mean?
Figure can refer to a numerical value, a person's shape, or a diagram in a text.
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Can figure refer to a person?
Yes, it can refer to a person's body shape or an important individual.
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Are pictures used in advertising?
Yes, pictures are a key element in advertising to create visual appeal.
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What's the difference between a picture and a painting?
A painting is a type of picture created with paint, while pictures can be made with various mediums.
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What is a picture?
A picture is a visual representation created through artistic methods like drawing or photography.
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What is a figure caption?
A figure caption is a brief explanation or description of a figure in a document.
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What's a picture frame?
A picture frame is a decorative edging for a picture, like a photograph or painting.
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How is a picture used in storytelling?
Pictures are used to visually narrate stories or convey emotions.
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Can pictures be animated?
Yes, pictures can be animated, especially in digital formats.
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Is photography considered picture making?
Yes, photography is a form of picture making.
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Can figures be misleading?
Yes, figures can be misleading if not accurately represented or understood.
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How do I cite a picture in academic work?
Pictures are cited by providing the source, creator, and date, among other details.
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How are figures used in presentations?
Figures in presentations help illustrate and support points being made.
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Can figures be three-dimensional?
Yes, figures like models or sculptures can be three-dimensional.
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What does "figure out" mean?
"Figure out" means to understand or solve something.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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Hifza Nasir
